Pellet or Log? That is the question. ('The DSM')

Outside 'tis icy-cold and a thick layer of snow covers every available surface. Inside they are keeping warm by drinking hot toddies, roasting chestnuts and singing carols as they huddle around ye olde... pellet burner.' 

It's not the same is it....doesn't have the same romance of a log burner and yet everyone seems to be getting one. You can't enter a supermarket without having to navigate a pallet-load of bagged pellets. 

We are thinking of upgrading our heating source and asking ourselves the question 'pellet' or 'log'? We have two log burners at present, one at either end of the house. The one in the kitchen is a modern model which we bought last year, the only problem is that when the wind blows in a certain direction smoke is blown back into the house and we have to open a window... which defeats the object of a log burner, I know; I appreciate this is not the fault of the burner but our 'draw'. We have tried opening the top vent and closing the bottom vent...didn't work, opening the bottom vent and closing the top... no joy. We have now bought a cowell or 'spinney thing' that goes on top of the chimney and...spins, hopefully sucking the smoke out of our kitchen and into the great outdoors. We lit a test fire in mid September when the wind got up. It was 30° outside so you can imagine how hot the kitchen was, ...but the good news was no 'blow-back'. 

The other log burner is an older model which has three flaws. To get any heat from the old girl you have to keep chucking logs in; she doesn't understand the concept of a 'slow burn'; either 'furnace' or 'cold'. We must have burnt enough trees over winter to cover an Amazonian football pitch. The second problem is she doesn't like logs thicker than a family sized swiss roll. If she gets anything bigger she will just give up and go out. So you end up having to extract a semi smouldering log and relighting the thing. Thirdly, on windy nights a sound akin to an asthmatic moaning eminates from the fireplace, as if the ghost of Christmas present is living up our flue. 

On the plus side both log burners look lovely...like log burners should look like. Not like pellet burners which look so clean and characterless. In our rustic French fireplace it would look out of place to install something that looks like a drinks dispenser.

One log burner would be manageable, but two! Last winter it was exhausting watching Anna beetle back and forth to the wood shed with barrow loads of timber... a full time job. It was almost a relief when it was windy and the burner in the kitchen was out of action due to blow-back, so she could slow down a bit. On the plus side we have become great friends with Christoffe, our wood supplier, who is now like one of the family, we see him so often. 

We have come to a crossroads. A decision needs to be made. We need to replace the log burner in the sitting room, but to log, or to pellet? That is the question. There's only one way to find out. FIGHT!

Advantages:

• Pellet stoves (as they seem to be referred to) are very user-friendly; because of the automatic ignition, no more struggling with a box of damp matches on a chilly morning. 
• You can adjust the temperature with a remote control or room thermostat. Some models allow you to programme by day or week or even with a text message or an app.
• The efficiency of a pellet stove is 90% or more.
• A pellet stove with a small hopper (pellet feeder) may need to be filled twice a day, while stoves with large-capacity hoppers can run hot for four or five days before they need to be refilled.
• A pellet stove is CO2-neutral but the integrated computer system also ensures efficient burning. The ash content of the burnt pellets is just 0.5 to 1%.
• Pellets are relatively cheap compared to other fuels. They are easy to store, compact and always ready for use.

Disadvantages:

• Pellet stoves are not maintenance free. The 'burn pot' has to be vacuumed weekly, every three months you need to clean it out and once a year it needs to be professionally serviced. 
• The built-in ventilator and 'auger motor' (pellet feeder system) produce a lot of noise when in operation. The sound of the ventilator is more pronounced, especially when starting. This problem has been solved to some extent in more recent and more expensive models. 
• The in-built computer system runs on electricity so this has to be considered when installing one.
• The flames produced by a pellet stove are not comparable to those produced by a wood stove. The flame is smaller. Some people even consider it to be 'nervous' or 'unnatural'.
• A pellet stove requires a major investment. Prices for pellet stoves start at 2,000€ but can increase to up to 6,000€, depending on the options of your choice.

Disadvantages of a log burner:

• They can be hazardous to your health. Recurrent exposure can exacerbate illnesses such as emphysema and heart failure. They produce toxins that can damage your lungs, increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and premature death. 
• Wood smoke is toxic waste. It sticks to your chimney as creosote which can create a chimney fire. 
• Old or poorly installed wood-burners pose a higher risk of smoke emission, air pollution, and greater risk of house fires.

Advantages of a log burner:

• They are more aesthetically pleasing.
• Wood burners are not reliant on an electrical supply. 
• A log pile is more environmentally friendly than pellets, which come in plastic bags.
• You can cook a casserole on top of a log burner.

Safety procedures when using a wood-burning stove:

• Ensure that your stove is installed properly and maintained.
• Keep your flue open to allow oxygen in while using your stove.
• Start your fire with clean newspaper or dry kindling.
• Only burn clean, dry wood that has been properly seasoned.
• Don't burn particleboard, treated wood, stained wood, painted wood, or wet wood.
• Never start a fire in your wood stove with gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter, or a propane torch.
• Remove ashes from your stove on a regular basis.

Maintaining safe surroundings includes:

• Install and maintain a smoke alarm.
• Install and maintain a carbon monoxide detector.
• Always keep a fire extinguisher handy and in working order.
• Keep anything flammable away from your wood-burning stove, including drapes, furniture, books, and newspapers.

With all this information at hand, I am none the wiser. My head says one thing but my heart another. We moved to rural France for the simple life, what's simpler than a log burner? I will have to give the matter some more thought. I shall retreat into a dark, cold, slightly smokey room and contemplate my dilemma further.